Bonkers Blog August 2016

If BiB has achieved nothing else it should have proved by now that Bexley
Council is built on a pyramid of lies interspersed with criminal activity and
secrecy. Yesterday saw another example of its mendacity.

The
Press Office put out a slogan on Twitter (@LBofBexley) for no obvious reason
claiming the Council spent £8 million a year on Freedom Passes.

Everything that comes from Bexley Council should be checked for propaganda or
lying. This claim wasn’t difficult to check.

At the last Cabinet Meeting, ten years after the Tories regained control,
Councillor Peter Craske thought it was a good idea to reel off a list of
achievements. It didn’t take long.

A new school for Crayford, scrapped the Welling bus lane, a reduced
contribution to the Freedom Pass fund and, err, that was it. Not much to show
for ten years is it?

The reduced contribution to the Freedom Pass nearly ten years ago was £4 million although it has of
course crept upwards since. It is now £6·8 million said Councillor Craske,
quoting from the Finance Director’s budget proposals.

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Councillor Craske says £6·8 million.

Whilst Finance Director Alison Griffin appears to have been
sucked into the
cover up culture of Bexley Council (more on that another time) I do not yet
distrust her to the extent of casting doubt on her financial expertise. So what
Councillor Craske said was probably true.

Which makes Bexley Council’s corporate statement a lie. Why do they do it?
Isn’t £6·8 million enough?